This is a story of simple human kindness during a time of uncertainty from the memories of a fifteen year old girl. Her life changed overnight. Although, time has passed, she never forgot how a chance meeting with a family would forever guide her outlook on people. It started in NYC where she was with her family, her step-father now deceased was getting care for cancer. One day she noticed her step-father standing in a room which overlooked the city and he was hanging a sheet of some sort. He was facing away from the view and she heard voices from the other side of the sheet.
She watched, curious and mostly in amazement that this very sick man was standing, holding anything and smiling. Then as quickly as the moment started it was done. When her step-father lowered the sheet a family was behind, men shaking his hands and saying something in a language she did not know. The family seemed very grateful, walked pass her and entered another room.
She asked what this was all about and was told..." This family is from an Arabic country and they wanted to pray for their family member." Later during her stay she found out they were Arabic and needed to find the direction for Mecca to pray. They were confused on direction in the glass room and her step-father, a native New Yorker, told them which way.
After a week or so the family approached her family and asked if it was ok to take her on a tour of NYC and lunch with their son. So she went and had an amazing time. The lunch was given at a penthouse with food enough for a king and more on the table. There were only really three people eating, but she remembers thinking how sweet and kind of them to go out of their way for her. Then there was the ice cream in a little NY place and the great conversation with the prince and his body guard.
It was a day to remember. The laughter, kindness, education and joy she felt was a ground stone for the rest of her life. The prince was not much older than she maybe 3-5 years. He had come from college to see his father in the hospital after an accident. He was funny, smart and kind. Looking back he may have felt that he was asked by his family to babysit, but he never let on.
The family with their kindness, in a time both families were having troubles never faltered in respect. When it was time for her to leave NY the family drove her and her mother to the airport. Although, they were met by a ticket taker who was a bigot...they held their own and saw her off. She was going back alone to meet her grandparents while her mother stayed to take care of her step-father. This wonderful family brought them to the airport, dealt with the ignorance of other's and helped her mother while she cried.
Simple human kindness is something we should all experience. The family she met taught her about another culture and that we are all human. They taught her how to be open to other's, listen, not judge...how do I know? The fifteen year old girl was me. I will always have fond memories of a family who didn't ask for anything and taught a young girl so much. Please check out this link below. It is about the king I met... (the Prince I talk about in this story is the son of the now King) Please wish the king well in his recovery. Thank you for reading my story.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/01/22/morocco.saudi.king/index.html
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